The Cycle Begins Anew
by Thornnstar
Summary: Jareth saw her laying deceased, it broke him. He hears her voice through the void and is brought out of his solitude. A quest, a reincarnation, and a destiny. (The first part of the story is an OC Clara, she's not all that she appears to be... but if your willing to bear her for a few chapters our original heroine will return)
1. Chapter 1: A slightly confused beginning

A/N: I don't own Labyrinth or anything associated to it, this story was completely fan made.

* * *

The Prophecy foretold by the Queen Dierdre

_"One of fair heart will come, her beauty is like that of the sun,_

_she'll win the Labyrinths favor, and it shall claim her for its own,_

_In her lies all our fates,_

_for she is the chosen one._

_A day will come when she all but disappears,_

_fret not for everything is not as it appears._

_She'll awaken anew and bring joy again,_

_she'll ascend the throne and rule till the end._"

Prelude to tragedy

* * *

_After watching the death of his beloved Sarah he went into a dark depression. He clung to the darkness and wrapped it around him like a cloak. Neglecting his kingdom, the Labyrinth closed itself of from the rest of the Underground; matching it's kings dark mood. _  
_Then she was a light, she floated toward him in the glowing form of a crystal. She was living, breathing; her laughter was music to his ears._ _This could not be, for he had seen it with his own eyes. She had succumbed to the earth. So, this lovely phantom couldn't be her..._

* * *

Her long chestnut hair was blowing in the wind. The chilly air of London had her donned in tight dark jeans, brown leather boots, and a matching jacket.

"Clara, are you even paying attention to me?"

"If I wasn't I wouldn't be laughing, your such a goof Alfred" she said laughing at the way he was dangling from a light pole.

Alfred was tall and lanky with long blonde hair streaked with red. His clothes matched her own but with a darker edge; black leather with silver spikes adorning his jacket.

He grinned at her, "what shall we do now.., go on a daring adventure?"

"I hear Mary's Garden is haunted" he whispered, staring at Clara intently. His ice blue-eyes were glinting in the rays from the light-post overhead.

"What is it haunted with?" she said cautiously; knowing that Alfred has a flair for the dramatics.

"The spirit of an ancient king and all of his subjects," he said with a serious face, his eyes still holding that intense excitement.  
She smiled and just gave him a nod

_'Once Alfred gets a notion in his head it's hard to say no... plus that look in his eyes..', _she thought.

"They say the beauty of the place tames the Kings heart. For he has grown dark with grief from losing the woman he loved. When the flowers are in bloom he shall find peace... or so the legend goes..." Alfred shrugged.

"Let us see this garden for ourselves then.." Clara said, '_secretly hoping she wouldn't regret it'.__  
_

* * *

Flashback

_Sarah was relieved as she looked at the clock, "only twelve hours like normal." She had another dream again; she was in the Underground, looking into his mismatched eyes. Why did she ever turn him down..? _

_She groaned as she rolled over to see yet another new face. Her time in the underground had greatly affected her, she was around the age of 25. Everything seemed the same after being intoxicated; she rarely if ever kept track of a calendar. Once she moved out of her parents house she stopped celebrating her birthday as well. She didn't go home very often; the times she did, she only went to see Toby. He missed her, but every time she saw his face it made her think of her time in the Labyrinth. _

_She wished more than ever that she had stayed. The 'Aboveground' as the fey deemed it was not anywhere as interesting as the Labyrinth. She dreamed of a life filled with magic, friendship, and maybe even love. No matter how many men she was with none would compare with the charm of Jareth, The Goblin King. _

_This man in her bed would be one of the many that would never return. She sought a way out of her troubled mind; most of the things she ran to were not good for her but.., what else was she going to? _

_The last thing she wanted was to go and talk to a shrink and convey her problems. She would only get laughed at and analyzed to see if she was insane. _

_No._

_Best to find her own solutions..._

* * *

As they approached the garden Clara couldn't help but feel a sense of deja vu.

_'Have I been here before..?'_ she shook her head.

The garden gate was a wrought iron archway; covered in flowering patterns of leaves and vines. She could see the vibrant hues of red, gold, and royal blue of the roses; which were lit up by pathway lights. There were towering hedges of ivy; and little blue bell shaped flowers that seemed to sparkle with dew.

There were three different pathways: one to the right, one to the left, and one straight down the center. Each pathway was paved in an old English-style cobblestone pattern. To the right of the entrance was a map, that showed where each of the pathways led. The map was covered in rust showing the neglect and old age of the place. The pathway to the left led to a grand labyrinth style maze, the pathway to the right led to an open field of flowers, and the pathway in the center led to the visitor center which had been closed for a few years now.

Clara felt compelled to take the route to the labyrinth. She had heard that when it was opened to the public you had to take a guide through it. It was skillfully built and many people would find themselves lost and wander aimlessly for days. The center was said to be filled with lovely rare flowers, and an ancient oak tree.

She stepped upon the path and started to slowly inch along the worn trail. As Clara descended further into the labyrinth she noticed new growth and wild life. It seemed as if some of the butterflies she saw even had faces! '_That couldn't be real'_. At one particular crossroad she has trouble deciding which way to go. She had lost Alfred a while ago, every now and then she swore she could hear his voice.

She frowned; a butterfly came and shimmered in front of her face. Its wings were a delicate pale purple, with gold shimmering veins.

"It's a fairy!" she gasped; for indeed there was a lovely dainty face looking at her from between those shimmering wings. The fairy had almond shaped eyes that were a soft brown in color; her hair was a deep chocolate brown that flowed around her petite body. She was peering at her with a curious expression upon her face.

Then in the sound of mini bells she said, "You do look so much like her."

"Like who?" Clara asked, looking intently at the fairy.

The fairy giggled and with the tinkling of bells flew towards the path on the right.

"Wait don't go!" Clara pleaded as the fairy fluttered away.

Clara began to run down the path trying to catch the fairy that was laughing the entire time. The light sound of it made Clara want to laugh and dance too. For it was the sound of magic; a deep lovely feeling bloomed in her chest.

Eventually the fairy stopped; wavered for a minute and then vanished. Clara had reached a clearing, it was in a circular shape spanning for miles around. In the center loomed a great oak, its trunk was knotted and ancient. Great- green leaves, bloomed all upon its branches. Clustered around the roots were crimson flowers dripping with dew. Upon these flowers were at least twenty or so glittering fairies.

"They're lovely!" Clara exclaimed.

"Aren't they..?" a voice smooth as velvet spoke.

Clara shivered and turned around. There was a man that exuded power; he had platinum blonde hair and there was a slightly crazed look in his mismatched eyes. His clothes were a tad disheveled, as if he had been asleep for ages and just woke up.

"Sarah..." he whispered, staring at Clara intently.

"Sarah...? I'm not Sarah." Clara said in little more than a more firmly "My name is Clara." She straightened herself and gazed upon him; feeling weary.

"Ah, you look so much like her," he said with a small smirk teasing at his lips. He motioned towards the oak tree, an archway appeared. "Shall we?" he asked; extending his arm towards her.

'_Should I?'_ she stared at him intently, figuring out if she could trust him or not. She tentatively placed her hand on his arm; he placed is other hand upon it and led her though the archway.

* * *

The Truth Revealed

_Sarah lay there gasping on the floor. 'I've over done it this time..' she thought to herself. She had taken a bit more than she could handle; the plastic pill bottle and the glass bottles seemed to shine. She made a silent wish; "I wish I could be in the Labyrinth right now..."_

_There was a quake in the earth, and a ringing in her ears. "As you wish it so it shall be..." and she slipped into the void..._

_Everything felt so light, weightless... She had no anchor, she was air itself but, she felt another presence. _

_"I am that which is magic... you are my vessel..." the voice rumbled around and within her._

_"You shall be reborn with apart of me in your veins... part of your soul will walk the earth again... the other part shall remain with me until you come to my true dwelling..."_

* * *

Jareth and Clara appeared in the Underground after walking through the arch. Clara looked behind her and saw there was no trace of the pathway they had walked through. She looked around in wonder, there was a grand castle surrounded by a labyrinth. Her smile faltered a bit when she looked away from the castle and saw what was around her.

The stone was crumbling from the labyrinth walls; great plaintive wails and growls emanated from behind the wall. The flowers that once bloomed were withered and covered in thorny briars. The labyrinth was overgrown than it had ever been. Instead of Hoggle being the faithful watcher of the gate; there were two guardians. They stood on either side of the gate looking proud and fierce; they bore the kings crest upon their shields. Strong looking fey men; one had long ebony colored hair and ice blue eyes. The other had golden blonde hair to his waist and emerald green eyes.

Jareth approached them; "Janus, Baldr" he said motioning towards them.

"My lord," they said in unison; closing their hand, that wasn't holding their shield- into a fist over their heart.

Jareth looked at them intently then swirled around grabbed Clara's hand and tossed a crystal into the air. They both disappeared; leaving behind a poof of glitter.

...

...

* * *

That's all for the first chapter; thank you so much for reading. I hope to have even more of this up before too long. As a special treat I'm going to give all of you a brief history lesson. :)

The story so far (behind the scene)

The people of the Labyrinth were governed under the major generals when their king went into seclusion. Janus and Baldr are two of Jareths most trusted soldiers and friends. They are generals in the kingdoms army; the army had been formed during the Everlasting War. The war had lasted one-hundred underground years. (During this time is when Jareth lost Sarah.)

In the Aboveground Sarah was going through a great bout of depression. She had visions of the underground all the time; (even though yes, she is a strong character. I had her overdose on sleeping pills and alcohol.) When she was close to death, she made a wish. Wishes are very powerful in the underground; it called the essence of the Labyrinth itself to her. Since she was the only victor of the Labyrinth that made it claim her for its own.

The Labyrinth is a living entity; run by goddess. She chooses to share her power with those she finds worthy. She makes a pact with Sarah; Sarah becomes her vessel and in return the goddess keeps her memories and makes her be reborn in the Aboveground.

* * *

- That's all for now. Keep an eye out for Chapter 2.


	2. Chapter 2: Reasoning

A/N: Another chapter complete :)

* * *

Chapter 2: Reasoning

Jareth and Sarah appeared in the throne room; there were no frolicking goblins this time. The place was a mess: chicken feathers, spilt wine, and cloth lay in disarray. Jareth went up to his throne and sat down; he motioned for Clara to come to him.

He withdrew a crystal from thin air and tossed it on the ground to his right. An ornate chair appeared with silver adornments on its legs. Clara sat down on it and finally felt the weight of where she was.

She gasped, her head started to pound and she felt as if she would pass out. Jareth reached out a hand...

* * *

_Sarah stormed through the throne room; Ludo, Hoggle, Sir Didymus, and Ambrosious close at her heels. It was deathly quiet, all the goblins were gone; leaving the place abandoned._

_"I need to find Toby, he must have taken him." Sarah said._

_"We'll come with you!" they said in unison._

_"No! I must do this alone... but thank you all of you," she said. She ran up the stairs and started to search for where Jareth could of taken Toby._

* * *

_'What was that..? ...What happened to Alfred? Why am I here,'_ she thought.

"You had a very strong compulsion spell placed upon you," Jareth stated. '_Why is that? I wonder...'_

She looked up at him confused, "What do you mean?"

"Magic leaves a trace, a sense that covers over your entire being and follows your footsteps," he stated very simply.

"I don't know why that would of happened to me," she said. She shuffled her feet and twiddled her thumbs feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Well I have a story to tell you, maybe you'll appreciate it. Then possibly understand why I brought you here," He told her very seriously; a troubled look played in his eyes.

* * *

"_I was foolishly in love to the point of arrogance; I understand that now. There was a young woman named Sarah. She was beautiful and headstrong; I would watch her for hours just enjoying every little thing she did. __Her stepmother and father went out often; leaving her with her younger brother Toby. She detested the chore of watching him on most evenings._

_I hated seeing her in discomfort, so I gave her the power of wishing. If she were to say the right words, I would come and take the child away. I left a book for her to find, I made it in the way that she perceived me and the underground. Eventually one evening she did wish Toby away; she regretted it instantly. I was harsh and unwavering and still she pleaded, so I made her a deal. She could come and try to conquer my Labyrinth; if she did I would give her Toby back. If she didn't I would keep Toby forever- she thought he would turn into a goblin._

_In truth I would of raised him as my son, my heir. I don't have a wife or any children of my own, I have yet to find a suitable mate. She entered the Labyrinth determined to make it to the center. Thinking me cruel and unfair; I put many obstacles in her path hoping to please her. Yet nothing I did pleased her, if anything she just became more determined. So in a final attempt to thwart her; I took Toby and hid him with me. She stomped through my poorly assembled goblin militia, and into the throne room. Up the stairs she came and finally found my hiding spot. I made it a jumble of walls and stairs; in a finally attempt to confuse her. I kept Toby just out of her reach. When she came to the top of the last set of stairs and jumped; I yet again moved reality for her. I approached her and offered her my heart and never-ending love. Again she refused me and cast me forever from her side._

_I stood by my word and left her and Toby alone. I was the ever standing guardian. Even though I couldn't physically be in their presence; I still watched over both of them. I watched Sarah grow from a young woman to a lovely full woman. She seemed happy for the most part, but the signs were there. I knew she was troubled but there was nothing within my power to do for her. War had come to the underground; I had finally put some order into my kingdom. I assembled an army of fey; for their magic and intelligence far surpassed that of goblins. I also formed an alliance with Queen Gweynn of the fairies. I was at war with the trolls from the north and their queen Druantia, a halfling, part dryad; part fey. She saw me losing to Sarah as a sign of not being powerful enough to best a human. For falling in love with a mortal is looked down upon the fey. With all of us being immortal it is difficult to kill us; our weapons have to be made with iron and their are some magicks that can harm us as well. We fought hard, but the war dragged on and on. Years passed and all my time was dedicated to taking care of and protecting my people. When eventually we were able to forge a victory; I looked in a crystal to see what had happened to Sarah and Toby. To my surprise Toby is here in the underground. He wished himself away and fell in love with Varia; a woman in the high kings court._

_...But Sarah, my beloved was eternally resting in the ground. She had been there for some time; I went into a rage. I destroyed things as you may see around the castle. I went and questioned Toby for I wanted to know how she died; if it was at least peaceful I could try and bear the pain._

_He told me that she had been depressed for quite a while. He could see her decline every time they were together. She didn't have much of a social life, and she drank a lot. Apparently one evening she came home and took one too many sleeping pills- for insomnia was something she was suffering from. She drank a lot of alcohol to go with it. She over-dosed there on the floor; no one was there to hear any finally words. She wasn't found until the next day, apparently she had called someone and rambled about 'the pain being too much.' That someone came and found her._

_I felt broken, hollow... So I looked into the deep magicks and found a spell to put me in a trance like state to keep me from killing myself or harming my kingdom. I couldn't willingly let myself die simply for the fact that the labyrinth is a part of me. It would go completely wild and possibly kill all of my subjects that I made an oath to protect. Because of that oath is why I couldn't kill myself to be with my beloved. I've been in my trance-like state until the moment I heard your laughter from the aboveground. I was compelled to find you and find you I did. That is why I brought you here.._"

* * *

Clara looked up at him, pity showing plainly in her eyes. She couldn't fathom living forever and losing the person you love most.

"You should put your effort into rebuilding your kingdom. It still holds the shards of your anger and that of the war upon it. Doing something productive can make the pain easier to bear." she stated looking at him intently.

"Ah... I believe that is necessary; my people have been without me for too long." He said looking into her eyes confidently.

"For now I will show you to your room, after all since your here; there's no going back. Don one of the castle maids has been very busy tidying up the castle; since I awoke." He said while leading her through a door on the right side of the throne room.

He led her through a hall way with a raised arch ceiling and plush carpet. The doors they walked past were huge and made of dark wood; with golden handles. There were all kinds of different armored statues and tapestries. Pictures painted of all different regions of the underground. There was a painting of the elves region; it split into two parts. The forest of snow and the the everlasting forest; elves come in all shapes and size, they are the caretakers of all creatures. They choose not to govern over any race but there own. There was a painting of the high court of the underground; It's king and queen wore golden flowing outfits made of light. She saw the same print further down an adjacent hallway but in this one the king and queen wore shadows.

Finally they came to a dainty looking door of a lighter wood than most of the others. It had a silver rose handle; which Jareth turned and they stepped into the room.

It was lovely: there was a lavish canopy bed with ornate swirls and designs upon the silver engraved frame; the bedspread was light blue with silver embroidery; pillows white as snow, stuffed with soft feathers sat up against the headboard. The other furniture were a white to match the pillows; these consisted of a large amour, vanity, closet, and a little french styled table with cushioned chair. There was also a small door to the far left side of the room.

"That door there is the bathroom, and I shall put a door to the right that connects with mine. That way if you have great need for me you may be able to reach you. ThoughI caution you only to use it in an emergency." Jareth stated to her.

"The room is lovely, thank you for your hospitality..," she said, inclining her head in a small version of a bow.

He gave her a curt nod, his eyes going distant. "If you need anything, there is a bell on your bedside table. Don will get you anything you need." With that being said he turned and fled the room.

* * *

A/N: Sorry guys I added a bit more to this, thought it was a better natural break for this chapter. Please review and tell me what you think.


	3. Chapter 3: Family Ties

A/N: Hey everyone, here is yet again another chapter. Just before we had Jareth walk out, now it's time to bring in some more family fun. Happy reading! :3

Yet again, I own no part of Labyrinth and this was all fan made (except for the original characters)

* * *

Chapter 3: Family Ties

Toby emerged gasping, 'it was always like this every time.' He could feel Anu's presence around him.

"You've done what it is you wanted... I warned you that all these times going to that humans body would change you... After all your part mortal yourself..."

"I had to, I had to know that she won't revert to the way she used to be!" He shouted at her, "that's what family does!"

"You'd do well to remember... What I will is done... For I am what makes you all exist..."

Toby froze and tried to calm his breathing, 'I just yelled at a goddess.. the essence of magick itself,' he thought. He bowed low before the great crystal statue; it was in the shape of a woman. She had long flowing hair and a slim but curvaceous figure. In her right hand was an athame in her left was a locket. She personified the goddess of balance and magick; she was the essence of all magick. Her glade was at the true heart of the labyrinth which was in a place far above the clouds. The only way to get there was through wishing and her grace. People can often wish to be with her but she is fickle and only chooses those she likes.

Toby's case was interesting to her; she got the sister and now she had the brother in the palm of her hands. He had asked her for a way to communicate and take care of his sister even though she did not have a mortal body.

She told him simply that his sister was her vessel, and she had her reborn in an image she saw fit. Toby ended up borrowing a human body that was through his and Sarah's bloodline.

Alfred was indeed a descendent of the Williams family and he had no idea of the existence of a young woman named Clara. Every time him and Clara met; it was Toby controlling his conscience and responses. The mortal Alfred suffered black-outs and memory gaps because of this. It strained Toby's mental discipline each time he did it. The out-of-body experience always made him sick when he returned to his own body.

"My lady, I shall leave you now..." he said, gazing up at the statue.

"As you wish..."

There was a bright flash... then nothing.

* * *

Toby appeared back in the gardens of his semi-castle; feeling shaken.

He had ended up marrying Varia; a high-court noble. She was a wealthy and beautiful fey. She was 5' 6, petite, had long wavy dark rust colored hair, and her eyes were a deep royal purple. Their union had caused Toby to be half human half fey; they had two children. Artemis and Luna; Artemis was lanky and dark haired, with glasses and a devilish grin. He had just reached his twenty-third year; in fey maturity that put him at about a teen in the mortal world. Luna was a soft spoken and eloquent young lady; she had her mothers hair color but instead of wavy hers was straight like her fathers.

Both of them came careening around the corner and tackled Toby.

"Father! your home!," they shouted as they hugged him.

He smiled down at them, "Yes, i'm home again."

"I guess business went well today," Varia asked; in a much more reserved way from the balcony over-looking the gardens.

"Yes, yes it went just fine" Toby said with a small smile teasing at the corner of his lips; as he extracted himself from the children's embrace.

'_I'll soon have my sister in my arms again.._.' he thought to himself.

* * *

"_Soon... Very Soon..._"

* * *

Clara lounged upon her lavish new bed. '_this world is so grand' _she thought as she slowly drifted off to sleep...,

"_Toby answered the door, 'It's Sarah!' he squealed in delight. _

_'Hello there Toby' she said bending down a little to give him a hug. He was ten-years-old now and he was getting big. He still had __those rounded little kid cheeks though; he simply adored their time together. _

_'Let's go see a movie today, then go to the park; how does that sound?' she said while smiling and sitting close to him on the couch. _

_'I have a better idea' he said. 'Let's stay here and watch Lion King and eat popcorn!' he exclaimed with a huge grin on his face; as if he had came up with the best idea in the entire world. _

_'Okay' she said laughing. They both went into the kitchen and made popcorn together and told jokes to one another while they waited for the microwave to ding. When the popcorn was done Toby ran back to the living room and popped in the dvd; they sat there and sang through every song that played. Both of them even teared up a little when Simba's dad was killed and he was blamed for it. _

_After the movie was over Sarah looked at Toby and said, 'What's next?' _

_'Let's build a fort' he said very seriously, looking her straight in the eye. They looked around the living room; put the couch on its side and pilled up cushions on the open end and pretended that they were hiding from an enemy invasion of goblins. Jabbing at imaginary enemies they laughed had a great time. Eventually the door opened signaling the return of their mother and father. Karen took Sarah into the next room and lectured her about filling Toby's head with so many made up stories. _

_'And just look at what you guys did to the coach' she scolded. Sarah left sullen and unhappy... _

_'I don't know how much more of this I can take..."_

* * *

Jareth paced his study back and forth, back and forth. '_What was he to do?' he could consult Anu... but would that really help any? the meddlesome goddess did what she pleased_.' He stopped and decided he wouldn't dwell on the past; he needs to get his kingdom and people in order. He went to his desk and started the slow time consuming task of reading all the letters and issues he had neglected while in his depression.

...

It seemed like many hours later when there was a faint knock on the door. Don came in,

"Pardon the intrusion sire, would you perhaps like something to eat?" she asked.

"Yes, bring me hot tea, with whatever meal the cooks have pre-pared" he said without even looking up from his work.

"Yes m'lord," she closed the door carefully and headed towards the kitchen.

* * *

Clara woke up gasping and drenched in a thin cover of sweat. Her eyes rolled around wildly trying to grasp on to anything familiar. After a moment she was able to begin breathing normally, and see clearly. She arose off the bed, shaking slightly, and made her way over to the bathroom. She put together a warm bath, stripped her sweaty clothes off, and soaked in the luxurious tub. It had automatically filled with bubbles when she pressed a button near the faucet. She leaned back and tried to reflect on her dream.

'It didn't feel like a dream... it was more like a memory...' before long she finally looked at her fingers and noticed their wrinkly look. She looked around and located a towel, got out and dried off. When she walked back into the room, clothes had already been laid out for her to wear. Relieved, they had actual aboveground undergarments, she dressed herself and found a fleece robe in her armoire; that she bundled up in.

There was a small bookshelf underneath her nightstand that she promptly looked through. She grabbed a book that talked about the elves realm and began to read.

After a time she drifted back off to sleep...

* * *

A/N: That is all for Chapter 3; that was fun c:

Toby and his family were a nice edition to tell you guys about. There will be plenty more about them later.

Don't forget to review and give me some feedback! Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4: A Quest Undertaken

A/N: Another chapter completed, hope you all enjoy it.

Jareth doesn't have an appearance in this one ;P . Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 4: A Quest Undertaken

This time the dream was different...

"_There was a beautiful women standing in a field of red flowers. It looked like the land was bleeding... _

_'This is what will come to pass... if you do not help restore the balance...' the woman said looking at her intently. He gaze was wise an unwavering, 'come... come and fulfill your promise... but first, you must prove your worth.' _

_She was suddenly in front of Clara's face; she felt hands grasp her temple but she couldn't move. 'You must go here and retrieve my knife, it is held in the elven kings lands.' When you do this, I shall come to you again...'"_

Clara jolted awake, '_who was that? she must know something... she can help me discover why I keep having theses dreams...'_

* * *

She arose and went to her armoire to see if she could find a bag. There was a nice leather satchel, with a few pockets on its side. She pulled it out and started stuffing some clothes in it; she had found leather breeches and comfortable boots which she put on. There was also a blue poet shirt which she decided to put on. At the bottom of a drawer she found a dagger with its holster. She attached a black leather belt around her waist and slid the daggers holster onto it. '_just in case...'_

She walked over to the bell at her bed side table and rang it.

A few moments later Don entered the room, "You rang, m'lady?"

"Yes, I could use some food fit for traveling and a flask of water." Clara said while packing up the leather bag.

Don looked at her confused for a moment, "As you wish, m'lady." She scurried off to get what Clara required.

It seemed like forever but Don came back holding a cloth bag filled with food; fruit, nuts, bread, and some cheese.

"These should hold up on your journey... where is it you intend to go... if you don't mind me asking m'lady." Don looked at her puzzled.

"I'm going to the elves forests; to find an athame for the women in my dream." Looking at Don with a serious expression on her face; she examined the woman. Don was short with curly brown short hair, her skin was a mocha tan, she had hazel eyes and a cute little button nose. She was a brownie so her skin had a soft sheen of fur and she had little dainty whiskers on either side of her mouth.

"Thank you, for bring me my food Don... Do you know where I might find a map and maybe a mode of transportation?" she inquired.

"I can take you to the royal stables m'lady. There you can ride one of the fey steeds." she said gesturing for Clara to follow her.

At the stable they stopped and greeted the head of the stable Gaius; he was a tall well built man with a shining face. He had a beard and long flowing hair the color of chestnuts. He greeted them and listened to Clara's story and then led them both into the stable. He searched high and low looking for the perfect horse that would lead her across the treacherous terrain she needed to go through to reach the winter forest. He finally stopped in front of a huge Colbalt steed that was fifteen hands tall. The most curious characteristic of him was his wings; they were large and the same cobalt color of his coat. They spanned almost as large as his body.

"This is Areion; he is a Pegasoi." Gaius said standing proudly. "He will be able to carry you over any obstacle and he is a great fighter. I presume you have a sword for if you run into something unpleasant?" he studied her face.

"No, I just have this dagger." she lifted the dagger up for him to examine.

"That won't get very far in a fight, unless your an assassin." he said with a grim look on his face. "Come with me, i'll bring you to the armory and get you a real weapon."

They strode across the grounds that were covered in vibrant green grass that had dew upon their stalks. There were a few great oak trees, and a few chestnut scatter around the stable. Clara smiled taking in her beautiful surroundings and looked up at the azure sky.

They stopped in-front of a grand stone building. It was grey-ish white with soldiers milling about, some were training with words, others were practicing archery. The went through the grand archway and dark metallic gates. They walked through several sections of the building before the found the blacksmith. His name was Tvastar, he was a short burly dwarf; his beard touched his toes and his eyes gleamed out from underneath his bushy eyebrows.

"So ya need a sword do ya lass?" he looked up at Clara. He "harumpft" and went through a door way on the right of his blacksmithing forge. Inside this room were walls upon walls of swords and other weapons. He picked up a rowan short bow and a bag of arrows and handed those back to her.

"If your riding a Pegasoi you might as well learn how to shoot a bow." he stated simply. He continued to look through a rack of short swords; coming back every now and then to look at Clara's hands and too lunge at her. He was tested her reflexes, stance, and he checked her hand to make sure the handle of the sword wasn't too big or too small.

He finally returned after thirty rounds of going back and forth with a short sword in an elaborate sheath. He hand it to her and she looked upon it in admiration. It had a brown leather sheath with runes crisscrossed upon it; the handle had the same matching leather and purple stone implanted in the pommel of the sword.

"That one is elvish make, it seems fit for ya to carry that since its their home you be goin to." He gave her a big grin and said, "now off with ya, and have a pleasant journey."

As they were going back through the armory they ran into Baldr and Janus. They looked upon Clara with an air of disdain and questioned why she was there. They looked at her sternly after hearing her tale and insisted they come with her.

"Our king would not be happy if something were to happen to you." Baldr stated simply. Janus just nodded and looked around at the other surroundings.

Clara looked at them with a steely gaze and gritted her teeth. She gave them a curt nod and turned on her heel followed by Gaius and Don

She tried to figure out why they would of looked at her like that.

"I'm sorry that your upset m'lady. Not all the fey are as understanding of other races. Most of them particularly dislike mortals. I'm surprised after being in the kings service they still hold to that belief." Don said while putting a hand on Clara's arm; looking at her with a sympathetic expression.

"It's fine, i'll just learn to deal with it... Are they good people to have at your back?" she gave Gaius a curious glance.

"The best, they've been at the kings side for years now an are some of his most trusted warriors." with a more serious expression he said, "you might want to practice with those weapons if they're going to be of any use to you."

Clara looked down at her new sword; she had slung the bow and quiver over her shoulder. She glanced back at the training area. '_What have I gotten myself into?' _

She walked over and trained with the training dummies and practice her bow on the target. It was mid-day when she started practicing. The sun was high in the sky and seemed to beat upon her with great ferocity. She sliced and parried; as the dummy was enchanted to fight back. It only held a wooden stick but she gained many bruises to begin with. Her body was a bit faster than a normal human and she was more graceful. The blood of the goddess Anu ran through her veins; and as the day wore on she became better skilled. She learned more than an average human would have in those few hours. When she felt she knew enough of the sword she went to the archery range. There she practiced shooting at non-moving targets until the majority of her shots were a bullseye. Then she moved on to the moving targets and shot at them until it was well into the night.

Throughout training Don brought her water and food. Clara took a few breaks but for the most part she had been at constant battle with imaginary opponents. She felt exhausted and needed a good nights rest.

Don brought her a map, "here m'lady, I marked off a route that should lead you safely to the winter forest. From there you travel up until you reach the everlasting forest." Clara took the map from Don and thanked her.

"I want to leave at first light; let Baldr and Janus know. Please wake me up before Dawn" She said to Don. Don curtsied and said, "as you wish m'lady." She led Clara back to her room; where she got out of her sweaty clothes and ran a bath. The bath helped soothe her aching muscles.

When she was finished she dried off and put on a simple nightgown. She arranged her pack and put her map inside it; she laid out her clothes for the morning and her weapons beside them. Then she walked over to the bed, climbed under the covers and quickly fell asleep...

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"_Sarah awoke with a searing pain in her head. She tried to remember how she had got here; she was laying half nude on the ground. Her face was pressed against the rough carpet, a bottle of gin was near her hand. She lifted herself off the ground and felt like she was going to vomit. The world spun and she held her head with her hands; she curled back up on the ground until everything stopped spinning. Eventually she was able to get up without being sick. 'Dammit,' she cursed. She had promised to go and get Toby today; that wasn't something on her mind last night when she went clubbing. She partied really hard trying to forget everything. She consumed more alcohol than she probably should have. She was at least in her own house with no strange men laying around; that was a blessing. _

_She showered and cleaned her self up, making sure to brush her teeth really good. After getting dressed she went to throw some food together, she put bread in the toaster and was surprised to find an orange in the fridge. She put on the coffee maker and leaned against the counter as she waited. _

_The toast popped up out of the toaster and the coffee machine dinged. She grabbed some jelly from the fridge and scraped some on to the bread. The mug of steaming coffee and toast was a meager meal but she ate it as if it were they were the best tasting food and drink in the world. _

_After she finished eating she snatched up her car keys and headed for the door._

_When she arrived at the Williams household, Toby ran out to greet her. Sarah hugged Toby and smiled. Karen came out and greeted Sarah and told her what time she expected Toby back home. Sarah gave her a curt nod of the head to let her know she understood. Then she went to her car and got in; Toby jumped in the passenger side. His eyes were filled with excitement, for his big sister was taking him to the zoo._

_When they reached the zoo, it was still early so Sarah parked up close to the entrance. They would inside holding hands and Sarah bought them each their tickets and put them in her purse which was slung over one shoulder. It was a sunburst orange with a golden clasp keeping it from falling open. _

_'Let's save the gift shops for last' she said beaming down at Toby._

_'Alright' he said excitedly, 'let's go see the elephants first!'_

_They went and looked at: elephants, tigers, bears, crocodiles, flamingoes, zebras, lions, and many other animals. They also went on a safari trek together; both of them oo-ing and ah-ing over the animals. _

_At the end they went to the gift shop and played with masks, stuffed animals, and some plastic walking sticks. Sarah ended up buying Toby an elephant plush so that he would always remember this day. On the drive home they sang songs together on the radio and talked about which part of the zoo they liked the best. When they arrived home Karen came out once again; when Toby was in the house she __turned to Sarah._

_'I don't know why you insist on spending money on him when you can barely afford your rent. You live on a thin line and I don't want you to snap. You still treat me like a wicked stepmother and you don't heed my advice. I'm telling you know it would be in your best interest to this to someone, sometime.' Karen said looking at Sarah intently; she turned around and walked in the house with a huff._

_Sarah went back to her car and drove to her apartment. A lone tear trickled out of her left eye and slid down her face.."_

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A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed that chapter. These little snippets with Sarah are important because you get a sense of her personality and the things she went though to deal with her insanity and still be there for Toby. The only person in her life she loved and could spend physical time with. Her character is the reason Anu picked her.

Please remember to review and tell me what you think. :)


	5. Chapter 5: The WinterDespair Woods

A/N: Hey guys, here's another chapter for you. Don't forget to follow to get updates and please review. Love you all. (I don't own Labyrinth or it's characters)

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Chapter 5: The Winter Woods

Clara awoke with Dons urging; it was just before dawn.

"m'lady you must get up now if your ever going to get out of the palace."she said, gently shaking Clara's shoulder.

"Thank you Don," Clara said as she swung out of bed. She quickly donned the outfit she had put out the night before. A white poet shirt, dark brown breeches, and knee high leather boots. She strapped on her sword, slung her pack over her shoulders, and put her bow inside her quiver which went over her traveling pack.

They left the room and walked down the corridor Jareth led her through when he first showed her the room. '_I hope he does okay while i'm gone...' _She hadn't thought about him much after she arrived, she was too confused with her strange visions. She regretted it but there was nothing she could do about it now.

They went through the throne room and out into the main courtyard. From here you could see some of the houses and shops outlined over the city. They crossed the grounds to the left to reach the stables. When the reached the stables Janus, Baldr, and even Gaius was waiting for them. They had saddled up the Pegasoi; besides Aerion, there was a roan colored stallion with intelligent looking eyes, and a grey mare that seemed shy. Janus and Baldr introduced them as their steeds; their names were Konabos and Skylla.

"We'd better get going before dawn if we want to reach the Winter Woods in a decent amount of time." Janus said as he mounted Konabos. Clara nodded and lifted herself up onto Arion. She stroked her fingers through his mane, it was as soft as a cloud. Baldr got on Skylla and led them to a worn trail.

"You have to have them gallop down the path to gain momentum so they can fly," Baldr stated when she looked at him puzzled. She nodded then looked off into the distance; so many thoughts were sifting through her head. She shook her head and urged Arion to follow the others. He neighed softly and flicked his tail; his wings brushed against her as he shifted them in preparation to fly.

Skylla took of down the path, her hooves kicking up dust. Her wings flew open and with a few powerful flaps she was in the air. Clara watched with excitement and admiration. Konabos and Janus went next then it was her and Arions turn. She felt giddy with nervous energy but she urged Arion to go his fastest down the path. The wind whipped against her face and blew her hair in disarray. Arion extended his wings and flapped them in a powerful, mechanical motion. They lifted into the air, higher and higher.

Clara looked around at the Labyrinth below; she could see its twists and turns. There were so many different parts to it. The city bustled with activity as the townspeople milled about doing their daily work. Certain cottages had flowers along their window-sill; splashes of gold, red, and blue. There was a park with a field of white flowers; there were children at play. She looked straight ahead and saw grand mountains in the distance covered with snow. To the left was a high towered black gate; she couldn't tell much more of that area because it was covered in shadow. To the right was a forest as far as the eye could see with all patches of color. It was like a walking rainbow for the colors seemed to shift and move. She couldn't tell if it was really happening or if it was just a figment of her imagination.

They soared high above the ground; she would often reach up and run her hands through the clouds and little crystal droplets of water would rain down. It was one of the most amazing feelings in the world. They flew like this till sunset; that's when Janus slowed and said, "we should make camp for the night."

"Alright, do you see a suitable spot?" she asked.

He nodded and said,"follow me." He descended down to the earth. Baldr and Clara urged their steeds down and they all landed on a flat plain. The mountains were still some distance away. Baldr pulled out some wood and kindling; he packed it just incase there was no wood in an area they went to. He set up a fire and they all sat around it.

Clara pulled out some bread and cheese and began to eat. Baldr and Janus did the same; they sat in an awkward silence for a bit.

Janus spoke up, "We know a bit about you but you know nothing of us, so it seems only fit we should tell you about ourselves since you will need to trust us with your life." he stated this simply and Baldr nodded and motioned for him to continue.

"As a child I grew up in the Everlasting Forest, I know the area well. My father was an ambassador for the High King, he would travel back and forth between this domain and that of the high realm. It was peaceful then; as I got older some of the negotiations between the two kingdoms were drawn thin. King Artio became furious when the High King decided to encroach upon his land. The High King used my father to relay a message to King Artio and in Artio's anger he drew an iron dagger and stabbed my father through the heart.. The High King took me and gave me to a noble woman in his court to raise. My mother Selena is a gracious woman but she believed a lot of my manners to be unfitting to court. I went through rigorous training to be deemed acceptable in places my new mother went. She had me trained by some of the most skilled warriors to fight. In other words she groomed me to be who I am today. When I was younger I thought she was cruel but, as I grew I began to see the knowledge in her training. That was over five-hundred years ago... I can still remember it all as if it were yesterday..." He paused and looked at Clara.

"When you live hundreds of years your memory is one of the most precious things you have.. guard yours well, lest you forget all that is important to you."

Baldr put a hand upon Janus' shoulder, "It was a long time ago my friend, do you remember how it is we met?" Baldr gives Clara a wide grin and spins his tale:

"I had just joined the ranks of the Kings army, I came from a farming family deep in the Jutunheim Mountains. They were the home of giants and trolls; contrary to most beliefs they are actually very kind races. They make fearsome warriors and great leaders. My friend Uthos was with me, we was a mountain troll; about as tall as I, he has a big muscle mass, his skin is a granite color with great stones as armor across his back and shoulders. Me and Uthos were messing around in camp when we stumbled upon Janus here. He was so solemn looking; we saw him frowning, sitting beneath a tree. We go and jostle him about shouting jokes at him. He jumps up and has such a look of anger in his eyes that I can't help but fall over in a laughing fit. His face got all red and he called us a bunch of stuffed ox brains and stomped off. Later that day in formation we were assigned to teams; guess who was on my team? that's right Mr. Grouch himself. He caught one look of me and you could see the expression on his face fuse from none at all to one of contempt. It went on like that for quite a while until one of our drills ended up not being a drill at all. Orc from beneath the ground had sensed where we were and sent an attack while we were all asleep. Since me and Janus were in the same team; we shared the same tent. I had a restless sleep and kept tossing and turning. The first orc came in and I could hear his heavy breathing; orcs aren't known for being stealthy. I whipped around sword in hand just in time to see him with his dagger drawn heading towards Janus. I jumped up and stabbed the fool; my sword went right through his body spilling blackish blood all over the ground. Since that day me and Janus have been a team. We slew many orcs together that day." Baldr smiled proudly and gave Janus a slap upon the back.

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Jareth paced his study, he was furious. He had spent so much time trying to right things through out the Labyrinth; that he hadn't noticed the girl was preparing to leave his domain. He growled and felt unsettled, he stalked over to a giant ornate mirror that hung on the wall in his study. He conjured a crystal ball threw it at the mirror and inside popped a vision of his mother.

"Greetings my son, why is it you've called upon me?"

"I have a favor to ask..., the prophecy you wrote two-hundred years ago concerning the future... can you recite it again for me?"

He paced back and forth pondering her words. He stopped, "I think i've found her" he said and looked at his mother.

"Go to her child.. you won't forgive yourself if you don't..." with that being said his mothers figure faded from the mirror.

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"Let us all sleep now, tomorrow is going to be another long day of riding," Janus said as he rolled out a blanket and used his pack as a pillow.

Clara yawned and did the same. Her dream was troubled...

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"_The woman in a field of flowers appeared again, 'I bring you knew of danger dear one...' She pulled out a mirror and turned it so it was in Clara's field of vision. The surface rippled like water and images began to appear. There was a cave by a lake, a woman was standing on the bank of the lake. Her head turned and her eyes bore into Clara's; they were bright green with a slitted pupil like a snake. After seeing her body better she looked like a cross between a snake and a woman. _

_'This is the Lamia Acantha, She dwells close to the edge of the Winter Forest... which is also known as the Forest of Despair. She will do you harm if for nothing but the fact that you are a female. Be cautious my dear... so still have far to go...' "_

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Clara awoke with a sick feeling deep in her gut. She packed her things up and put her pack on her back. Janus and Baldr were up and ready; they handed her some food for breakfast. Dired meat and some fruit; and they all got on their pegasoi and prepared to take off.

When they in the air Clara looked around trying to see if she could find the lake from her dreams. They kept going through-out the entire day and there was no sign of the lake. Clara began to relax she took in the incoming scenery; A white snowy forest was coming closer into view. It sparkled like thousands of diamonds as the sun hit the tree tops. It was so bright it was hard to look upon it; Clara lowered her gaze and watched the ground below. There were wild groups of horses grazing in the rolling fields of tan. The closer they got to the forest the more color leeched out of the ground; until they came upon snow.

Clara was thankful her cloak that Don packed for her was lined with fur. She pulled it out of her pack and wrapped it around her shoulders. The sun was starting to lower on the horizon. Janus and Baldr started to steer the pegasoi down. They had reached the Forest of Despair... the Winter Woods.

She looked around as they landed, there, right in front of them was the lake from her vision. There was a sound off to the left that sounded like a hiss, then silence. The woods were deathly silent and the sun had set; leaving them in utter darkness. There was a slither then Baldr shouted out in pain; Janus lit a match and in the light there was Acantha. Her face was fierce, she had a mouth full of razor sharp teeth, her nose were nostril slits flat upon her face. Her arms had carved bone gauntlets upon them and her tail was ruby red scales. Her chest was nude and pale; as lovely as any woman's. She was holding Baldr by the head, gazing deep within his eyes, a feral grin bloomed across her face. Clara drew her sword and the sound drew Acantha's gaze unto her.

"_Mortal woman... I ssshall feassst on your flesssh and then take your pretty men assss my own.." _she hissed at her dropping Baldr on the ground. She slithered toward Clara and lunged at her. Clara sliced with her sword and was able to make a shallow cut along Acantha's side as she tried to dodge Clara's blade. Janus was tangled up with her tail, which was putting up a fight. Acantha circled around from behind and quickly grabbed Clara around her neck. Clara's head whipped back and she gasped for breath. Janus was pinned down by her tail but he had her sword stabbed through it and was hanging on to it with all his strength to keep from getting crushed. Acantha hissed at him then drew her gaze back to Clara.

Acantha chuckled deep in her throat, '_sssee __I got youu..'_ she started to squeeze Clara's neck. Her eyes went white and the voice of the goddess came out of her, "_Acantha... release my vessel and I shall spare your miserable life..."_

Acantha laughed a low, coughing sound "_Ssshe is mine and there isss nothing you can do __goddesss.." _

Clara started to shine white, her whole body glimmered with the power of the sun. Acantha's hands started to burn and she began to scream. The smell of burnt flesh accosted the air; there was one large burst of light. Then all went black and Acantha's burnt body fell to the ground. The lamia was dead, and they were safe...

Baldr got up from the ground coughing and his eyes were wild. When he saw that the danger had passed he had an angry expression on his face. Janus had lit a fire and they were all huddled around it.

"It is not very often you are faced fighting one of the ancient ones" he rasped, his throat was still sore from where Acantha grabbed him. "If I had known a demon like that stalked these woods we would have never come this route' Baldr said looking at Clara intently, "I'm sorry for failing you m'lady. I had sworn to protect you and I failed."

She looked at him sympathetically, "It wasn't your fault as you just said she was an ancient one... what exactly does that mean?"

Janus cleared his throat and began, "The gods of these lands thousands of years ago, back when the mortals were all but a primitive race. Made great and powerful creatures, some of them were good and some were bad. Many of them helped keep the world in balance. They dwelled aboveground because during that time there was no need for our kind to be in hiding. The mortals weren't strong enough to protect themselves from each other let alone hunt us. Those great and terrible creatures are known as the ancient ones. Lamia are one of those ancient creatures along with: Leviathans and Leucrocottas. They were all wise and intelligent creatures at one point in time. Some even say they were fey much like us; not many of them exist anymore and fewer than that walk out where others can see them. Most stay deep-deep within the ground..."

"It's been a long night. we should all get some rest," Clara said and rolled over clutching her fur cloak around her and huddling close to Arions side. She settled off into an uneasy sleep.

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'_you've done well...'_

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A/N: That was fun! :D Let me know what you think of my little fighting scene there. More to come soon c:

Side note: I know there hasn't been much of Jareth; he's disappeared again but fret not. He'll be back soon enough and back to his old personality.


	6. Author's Note

A/N: I've given a lot of information in this story in a very short amount of time. I'm going to take the time to give the full history and layout of what my version of the Underground is like. I got a lot of inspiration for character names and creatures from Roman/Greek mythology and Irish mythology.

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Author's Note:

The Underground is made into six main parts. The Winter Woods/ Eternal Forest, the High Court of Faire, The Forest of Mystery, the Black Gate and what lies beyond, The Raging Sea, and the Labyrinth. There are eight main rulers that govern over a certain amount of races.

The Labyrinth has the Goblin King Jareth, who has no queen at his side yet. When the Labyrinth gains a queen both of them will be equals and share in equal power; as it is written in the ancient tomes. Jareth governs over all the people within his kingdom; be it fey, goblin, brownie, dwarf, ect. There are a great many creatures that live in the Labyrinth. It is well supplied and protected, it's king cares for his people.

The Eternal Forest and Winter Woods are governed by King Artio and his Queen Aoife. They are both Ailill, elves, the King makes more of the decisions when it concerns politics than does the Queen. The Queen had fallen ill a century before the story takes place, so she does not have much of an appearance. She was badly poisoned and was lucky to escape with her life. It is rumored the attempt was done by the High King because of something Artion did.

The Black Gate is ruled by Queen Druantia; the druid and fey halfling. Her domain starts at the gates and consists of Slievemore the great mountain and whatever extends behind the mountain. She is a cruel dictator and has a love of punishment. She once wished to marry Jareth to attain great social status and more control of the Underground in general. Jareth saw her power hungry intentions and denied her. Which causes tensions to run deep between them. The mountain ranges around the Black Gate are the Cian Mountains and they are ruled by the dwarves. Great mines of precious stones and minerals run through all the mountains in this range.

The Forest of Mystery is an ever changing place. You never know what creatures dwell in or where you might end up. It makes communicating with the two courts that reside here extremely difficult. The best way to communicate is talking mirrors; they're enchanted so when you cast a spell with intent on who you want to see and talk to. It sends a signal to a mirror near the person; that lets them know someone outside of their domain wants to speak with them. The fairies have their main domain here, ruled by their Taoiseach, Queen Gwyenn and her husband King Daire (who is more of a figure head than a ruler). Fairies live in every domain and come in every shape and size. They have the ability to change their size at will (from a human to pixie size). They hold some of the most ancient magic inside them and if it weren't for them most of faire wouldn't exist.

The Raging Sea is home to the merpeople, sirens, water sprites, and other elemental creatures. It is governed by Ambassador Falbeard of the High Court. The people of the sea live by their own standards and despise other races meddling in their affairs. They are always changing like the sea around them so why would they stick to strict rules?

Finally, The High Court of Faire. It is ruled by the High King Conlaoch and High Queen Deirdre. They are also Jareth's parents; they haven't spoken much since the last war. Conlaoch is cunning and ruthless, if he sees a challenge to his power or authority he doesn't hesitate to lash out. He is known for his temper and ability to govern others. Dierdre is a seer of great power; Anu gifted her with the gift of prophecy. The kingdom resides in a space above the Labyrinth, in order to reach it you have to go through teleporting crystals which reside in all the main kingdoms/queendoms (since some of the domains are ruled primarily by their queen). The place is light and made of crystal and pale marble stone trimmed with gold. The streets are literally made out of gold; the area has be light of color or void of it because of how close it is to the sun. The lightness of the place often fools visitors that all inhabitants of the light are inherently good. Which is not true at all.

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A/N: This gives you a brief overview of the area and the different kingdoms. I might update this page with the politics, war, and such at a later date.


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